Page 163 - Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025

10/20/25, 11:08 AM ttnworldwide.com/ArticleTA/329380/Ajmans-Masfout-joins-UN-Tourism-worlds-Best-Tourism-Villages-Network-2025
From Koyasan in Japan to Chamarel in Mauritius, Bled in Slovenia, Carlos Pellegrini in Argentina, and
Masfout in the United Arab Emirates, 52 newly recognised Best Tourism Villages from 29 countries showcase

the power of tourism, leading tourism for rural development.

In this fifth edition of BTV, 52 villages from all regions - Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle
East - received the recognition, selected from over 270 applications from 65 UN Tourism Member States.

Masfout has become a member of UN Tourism BTV Network, whichgrows every year, and with the
announcement of its 72 new members, 319 villages are now part of the largest community of rural

destinations in the world.

This global achievement is a culmination of the efforts of the UAE in general, and the Emirate of Ajman in
particular, to develop an integrated model for sustainable eco-tourism and rural tourism, reflecting a balance
between development, environmental conservation, and authentic cultural identity.

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “Tourism can be a powerful tool to progress shared

prosperity, inclusive growth and territorial cohesion in rural areas. Our Best Tourism Villages 2025 highlight
communities that are working to safeguard their cultural heritage, preserve their natural resources and create

economic opportunities through tourism. These villages show that by embracing tourism, they can promote
social inclusion and build a future where no one is left behind.”

The Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism initiative launched in 2021, under the UN Tourism for Rural
Development Programme, accelerates the role of tourism in rural development by valuing and safeguarding
rural areas along with their associated landscapes, knowledge systems, biological diversity and cultural

heritage.

Candidate villages are assessed by an independent Advisory Board under nine areas of evaluation:

Cultural and Natural Resources

Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources

Economic Sustainability

Social Sustainability

Environmental Sustainability

Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration

Governance and Prioritisation of Tourism

Infrastructure and Connectivity

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